


Before the Sunrise

by PepperSpicedLatte



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, But JJ doesn't know Emily exists, Emily falls in love with JJ, F/F, Fluff, HAHA PAIN, I’m not putting Lauren and Doyle as an actual couple because they’re not important, JJ falls in love with Lauren, Minor Character Death, Mutual Pining, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:54:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29365812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PepperSpicedLatte/pseuds/PepperSpicedLatte
Summary: Rookie agent Jennifer Jareau gets sent on an information hunt in rural France. She never expected to get thrown into a world of organised crime like this. She never expected to fall in love. She never expected to meet Lauren Reynolds.
Relationships: Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Emily Prentiss
Comments: 18
Kudos: 82





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! A multi-chapter fic by me? Can you imagine. 
> 
> This is based off of an RP I'm doing and that I love. I hope you all enjoy watching JJ and Lauren being wild as fuck.

𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆

The south of France had always been on Jennifer Jareau’s ‘places to visit one day’ list. Truthfully for someone who had only been out of the United States twice - and one of those was to Canada so that didn’t count - there were many places on her list. Growing up living on a farm just outside of Pittsburgh hadn’t given her family copious amounts of money to spend on holidays abroad, and truly JJ had loved the trips camping or to a lake the family had taken. Her one trip out of North America had been with the school, when she’d gone to Barcelona with her soccer team. It had been a fun and exciting trip, even if it had cost a lot, but that had made JJ appreciate it more and make sure she had enjoyed herself to the fullest extent. But apart from that, she had stayed in the US for the remainder of her life, semi content but not overly satisfied with being in one place. 

Transferring to D.C and Georgetown from Pittsburgh had been a big stepping stone but jump she had needed to kickstart her life. Finishing at Georgetown and finally realising what she wanted to do with her life, JJ had applied to the FBI once she was eligible to and had gone through the rigorous training, coming out at the top at the end of it. With her media training, several departments had wanted her, though JJ had always had her eyes set on the BAU. Still, with more media and liaison training and FBI training in general, she was finding her footing on her way to her goal. For the first time in her life, JJ had found her calling and she was going to show everyone she did in fact belong there and could do her job well. 

But, even with all of that. Even with her list of places to visit, JJ had never expected to be in the south of France on a mission with the FBI. It baffled her, why they had chosen such a rookie agent to come along for the ride; that the bureau was even doing anything abroad when they focused on national security and not international. There were many questions running through her head constantly but at the same time, JJ knew this was a good opportunity to prove herself to her superiors and gain more traction in her career. It wasn’t going to be anything too difficult, they had assured her. They simply had the issue of a missing agent and she and the partner she had been assigned with, were on a short information hunt to see if there were any traces of them. JJ’s liaison knowledge would be useful in getting people to talk as there were a few main people of interest they needed to find and talk too. 

What JJ didn’t understand was why someone with a limited knowledge of middle school French, was going to France. She’d have been better off in Spain. At least she knew a decent amount of Spanish. Still, she couldn’t complain. The south of France in August not too far from the coast was not the worst place to be in the world. It was a new place she could explore, get to know and possibly find herself in, all whilst doing a job she loved and wanted to exceed in. Whatever her bosses wanted, she would do. They clearly had their reasons for sending her and she wouldn’t question them about it. 

There would always be a clause to everything however when it came to the FBI - which in years to come, JJ would know all too well. There was always more to the story than what it seemed. Not everything was as black and white as they wanted you to think it was; though was anything in the criminal justice system simply black and white? JJ found herself being a very right and wrong person, especially living in a small community where everyone knew everyone else’s business. If something was bad then the whole town would think it was bad. This mentality had been shaken when she had gone to college though the lines hadn’t blurred so much as joining the bureau. Still, she had to believe that everything they were doing was for good, and if it wasn’t, well she wanted to be part of the system that changed that. 

Going undercover was something else JJ hadn’t expected, though by now she had started to tell herself to expect the unexpected. It wasn’t deep undercover, simply an inconspicuous identity whilst they collected as much information as they could. The training she had had covered the basics, the backstory not so different from her own; easy enough for her to remember and with that, she was sent on her way across the Atlantic, tumbling into a whole new world. 

Callian lay in the lower French Alps, surrounded by rolling hills and small, equally as quaint towns and villages. Around a forty minute drive from Cannes, it was a picturesque little town, filled with old and authentic buildings, narrow streets and gave off the vibe that it was still in the past. Visited by tourists with several hotels and guesthouses in the surrounding area, it was mainly by those walking along the hill trails and starting to move their way up to the campgrounds of the Alps. It seemed the perfect place to have captured on a postcard and where nothing out of the ordinary happened. 

Despite the mundane nature of the place, JJ was filled with excitement to be in the village. They had stayed in Nice for a few days whilst they went over their brief and sorted out the last few things before travelling the hour or so to the town. Their hotel was a little walk away from the town centre which was perched on top of a hill, but the walk was lovely enough that she didn’t care. Everything felt new and magical. The weather was beautiful, the air having that fresh feel about it. The quaint, quiet atmosphere of the town was uniquely European and she had instantly fallen in love. 

Still it was another two days before she was able to explore. She and her partner on the case - Terrance Henry - had been settling into their hotel room and going over their cover story to make sure it was perfect. They were to be newlyweds on their honeymoon, supposedly infatuated and extremely annoying. Honeymooning in a nice French town didn’t seem so bad, but with Terrance’s disdain to be partnered with a rookie agent, he hadn’t been entirely welcoming. JJ couldn’t blame him really, though he would be another person she was going to prove herself to. If she had to play his blonde, very stereotypically American wife then she would. Thankfully the room they had booked had an adjoining room with it so even though they had to act like a couple in public, they would have their own privacy and space behind closed doors. 

It was mid morning by the time JJ had managed to escape from the hotel room and Terrance. Although he was good enough company, she did want to have a few moments on her own to explore and get a feel for everything. Wearing a short navy blue sundress dotted with white flowers, sandals and a black beret perched on the top of her head, JJ had walked down the country road to the town centre. Situated on a hill and circling upwards like a fortress, the streets seemed welcoming; a place where you weren’t likely to get lost. 

Finding the small indoor market was easy, and the air conditioning was a welcome feeling from the already warm summer heat. Picking up a basket she started to walk down the aisles, eyeing the produce and wondering what she should get. Despite having talked a lot with Terrance in finalising their cover story and making sure they knew little details about each other that only married couples would, what fruit he liked had never come up. Nevertheless, JJ decided to take the initiative and chose whatever she saw that looked delicious. She wasn’t a picky eater, far from it and she was excited to taste the fresh fruit. 

Lost in her own thoughts she didn’t realise at first that the shopkeeper was talking to her until she heard his broken English. Turning to face him, he wasn’t too far from her, clearly asking her if she needed any help. JJ apologised, though she found in that instant that all of her eighth grade French had gone out of her head. Even the little phrase book she had brought to look over on the plane journey and whilst she was here seemed non-existent in her head. Fuck. 

JJ tried, she really did, but she could tell the shopkeeper was losing patience with her as she tried to tell him what she wanted. How did she always get herself into these situations?

. . . 

Lauren had always loved France...no, that wasn’t right. Emily had always loved France and the amount of time she had spent there during her childhood, both in Paris and visiting her grandparents in the Alps. It had been such a blow to her when her grandfather had finally died in her last year of college, Emily unable to go to his little cabin deep in the mountains and block out the rest of the world. It had been her safe place and truly even being back in France helped bring some of that peace back to her. But this wasn’t Emily. This was Lauren. Lauren hadn’t been to France as much as Emily had - something she found she had to remind herself from time to time - but she loved it all the same. 

There were similarities between Lauren and Emily of course; she couldn’t change her entire personality after all. But there were enough differences for Emily Prentiss to become a lost and forgotten figure, a memory in the back of her mind which startled her from time to time when she finally remembered she was still there. Maybe she should have gone into an acting career with how convincing she could be with her characters and personas; so convincing that she even fooled herself most of the time. She’d been undercover for too long, a year slowly surpassing her not so long ago. But they were close to finishing, she could feel it deep within her bones. This had been the longest she’d been undercover for. Hungary, Switzerland, Greece, Peru and Ecuador combined hadn’t been this intense and none of those missions had lasted over a year. She hadn’t had to pretend she was in love with the terrorist they were profiling for those. 

Pretend. Yes. All of this was pretence. 

Lauren wouldn’t get into those feelings right now and to Emily? Well they didn’t exist. 

It helped, being in a place like this to escape and forget who she really was. Lauren was very much alive and thriving in the French countryside, an arsenal of men at her hand and the confidence and respect to make anyone think twice about crossing her. Of course there were still some of Doyle’s men who didn’t trust her completely, thinking him blinded by her to see clearly, but they didn’t say it out loud. Lauren Reynolds was a force of nature never to be questioned. Maybe that’s what he liked about her. She could command a room with a single look and she played on that power trip as much as she could. She had to if she wanted to stay at the top. No, Lauren was very comfortable where she was. Living in a beautiful villa, having everything she wanted at her fingertips and Doyle wrapped around her little finger. Perhaps it was heaven. 

Or as heaven as it could be in the middle of an international terrorist ring. The devil really was in the details with this one. 

It was a beautiful Saturday morning when she had driven down to the town. The villa was a little way out of Callian, walking distance but sometimes it was easier in the car. Lauren liked these moments to herself where she could pick up some food for the week ahead or hide away in the bookshop for a few hours. Doyle had told her countless times that they had people to do these errands for her, but whilst Lauren was more of a social creature than Emily, sometimes the villa was filled with too much testosterone for her to deal with. She needed these moments of solitude to recuperate and give herself time to relax. 

It was slightly difficult to find a parking space now that tourist season had started, but by now she knew all of the hidden spots others didn’t. Once parked, she had put on her sunglasses, grabbed her bag and started on her list of errands to run. The town was bustling and Lauren wove through the locals and tourists alike as if she’d lived there her whole life. It was easy for her to meld into any environment she was in, which Lauren was sure contributed to her being so good at her job. Everything felt natural to her and that’s as exactly how she wanted it. 

After picking up some flowers for the living room and putting them in her wicker basket (she had to have fun playing her part okay?), Lauren had made her way to the small grocers to get some fruit. She knew Declan liked grapes so she was going to get him the biggest bunch she could find. 

Stepping into the air conditioned building, she shivered slightly as the cool air hit her somewhat uncomfortably. Lauren preferred the heat and drastic temperature changes weren’t her thing at all. Still, she wouldn’t be in there for long, and took a basket to put what she needed into it. Not being the only one in the shop, Lauren glanced slightly at the other women a few aisles away who seemed to be talking with the owner. She didn’t pay any attention to them however, picking up and weighing out her apples and bananas - yes this place hadn’t caught up with modern times yet and still had the old scales hanging up by the produce - before putting them in her basket. 

It wasn’t until she had got to the grapes, which was closer to the two other people did she start to listen in on their conversation. Well, it wasn’t much of a conversation. The shopkeeper was trying to ask what the woman wanted, and she was trying to respond in very bad broken French. Lauren couldn’t help but roll her eyes with her back turned to them as she picked out a bunch of grapes. That was something that grated her, when someone went to another country and didn’t try to learn the language. Of course her being fluent in French was a plus side to being here, but still, it irked her. 

Lauren was ready to get her shopping and go, to leave the woman to flounder especially in that beret but the only problem with that was the shopkeeper was the only person to serve her. Deciding she’d better go and help, Lauren walked over to the pair, putting on a smile and talking to the shopkeeper in flawless French for a moment before turning to the woman. 

Closer to her, Lauren felt her breath being taken away. The woman was young, blonde and beautiful. Lauren couldn’t help the way her eyes flickered down over her, taking all of her in not so subtly before she spoke. 

“What do you need?” 

JJ had been getting more and more frustrated with herself, unable to get through such a simple conversation without being flustered. Maybe going out without Terrance hadn’t been the best idea. At least he could speak more French than she could. Still, JJ wasn’t one to give up or back down and she continued to try and get across to the man what she wanted. She didn’t notice the presence of another woman until she stood beside them. The way she had seamlessly transferred from French to English sent JJ in a state of panic, though she wasn’t sure what kind of panic just yet. Her eyes scanned the brunette, finding her heart skip a beat at the sight of her. Oh, it was that sort of panic. 

“I...umm, peaches. Please. If you don’t mind.” JJ gave the woman a small, nervous smile at the fact she had offered to help. “Sorry, you can probably tell it’s my first day here.” Why did she feel so nervous all of a sudden? Awestruck? She needed to pull herself together. 

Nodding, Lauren gave her a smile back, feeling herself getting lost in her bright blue eyes. She looked like sunshine wrapped up in a pretty navy blue dress - she had decided to pretend the beret didn’t exist. Turning to look at the shopkeeper, Lauren spoke to him once more, asking for some peaches for the women. She didn’t know how many she wanted but honestly at this point she was sure she would appreciate what she got. 

As he started to sort it out, she looked back at her. “Your first day in such a little place?” Lauren raised an eyebrow. “I take it you’re not here on your own.” Even though most of the tourist population were either older couples or families, and not pretty little things like the blonde, her lack of knowledge of the language was a big indication that she wasn’t here alone. She would be better off in Paris for that. Lauren felt intrigued still by such a creature appearing in her sleepy little town, but that was what happened somewhere where the most exciting thing that went on was the local gossip. 

“Is there anything else you wanted?” The owner had sorted her out a paper bag of peaches, muttering about American’s, which Lauren had answered humorously back at him. She also didn’t want to have to stand there and translate for her all morning; it was important to get to the patisserie before all the nice pastries were gone. 

JJ had confirmed to herself that she truly was awestruck by the brunette woman. She was confident, bold; if it had been anyone else then JJ would have thought them pretentious. But there was something intriguing about her. The way she carried herself and had no problem butting in and offering her services, even when JJ knew she most definitely had better things to do with her time. 

“No, there’s nothing else thank you. And you’re right, no I’m not alone. Though I can imagine a place like this would be wonderful to explore by yourself. I’m not sure I’ll be getting much alone time soon however.” She laughed, remembering she had a backstory and persona to uphold, one where she talked too much about being in love and how wonderful it was. Inside JJ was blanching at the thought but no one would ever suspect it. 

“My husband told me this morning that I reeked of being a tourist. I suppose he was right, hmm?.” As she was handed the bag of peaches, she thanked the shopkeeper in French (at least JJ could do that), and gave him an apologetic smile. 

Husband. That made sense to Lauren. Just an in love couple wanting to get away to a small French town for a quiet vacation. By the looks of it a newlywed couple by the shiny new state the woman’s ring was in. Emily might have been profiling terrorists for years but that didn’t mean she hadn’t picked a thing or two up about profiling ordinary people. She almost wished it was her, simply here for a quiet vacation and not on a dangerous mission. As easy as her cover had gotten over the last year, it had also gotten harder. Both Lauren and Emily were more vulnerable with the positions they’d put themselves in. Lauren had never intended to fall in love with Doyle - or what she thought was falling in love with him - and it had hit her like a train when she’d realised. Still, he wasn’t wrong in thinking he had a loving partner, because he did. Unfortunately. 

“Did he tell you the beret was a good or bad idea?” Lauren didn’t care if she offended the other woman. She couldn’t deny that she did look cute in it, but wearing it here gave off the stereotypical ignorant tourist vibe. Still, she had never met her before and whilst she was sure the young woman wasn’t being purposefully ignorant, the small black accessory amused her. 

Shocked at her words, JJ’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. There was a confidence, arrogance even coming from the other woman but JJ’s gaze softened almost immediately, a snicker coming from the back of her throat as she reached into her bag to pull out some loose change to pay for her peaches.

“He did tell me it was a bad idea, but I’ve never been one for listening.” The beret was a little much, JJ had to admit and once she had given the coins to the shopkeeper, she reached up to take the beret off and put it in her bag. Running her fingers through her hair to make sure it wasn’t a mess without the hat she looked at the brunette. “Happy now?” 

At her actions, even her words, Lauren could feel the innocence and naivety rolling off of her. That was dangerous for anyone being alone in an unknown place, especially one harbouring an underground network of terrorists and weapons dealers. It wasn’t as if Lauren cared, because why would she? This was someone she didn’t know and would very unlikely see again. But unlike Lauren, her emotions were worn on her sleeve. 

“I never said you had to take it off.” Rolling her eyes with no resistance as she saw her take the beret off. 

When the woman had been given her change, Lauren had moved to pay for her own produce. Having a conversation with the shopkeeper, the transaction didn’t take long and she was soon putting everything into her wicker basket before paying for it. Bidding farewell to him she moved to go back outside into the sun, putting her sunglasses back on as she did. It seemed as if the blonde was trailing right behind her and she wondered for a moment what she’d done to obtain a lost puppy. 

“Hey, I just wanted to say thank you for helping me out there, Miss ermm…” JJ trailed off as she realised she didn’t know her name. 

Turning to face her once more, Lauren was again taken away but how pretty she looked. Maybe it had just been a little too long since she’d felt the touch of someone pretty. 

“Reynolds. Lauren Reynolds. And you are? Apart from the small blonde with the beret?” The name rolled off her tongue as if she’d had it from birth, something familiar and foreign at the same time. 

Tucking the peaches underneath her arm, she held out her hand to shake Lauren’s as she too introduced herself. “Jennifer Henry.” The way her partner's name came off of her tongue felt unnatural and it was still something that JJ had to get used to. She was so used to Jennifer Jareau and JJ that not having a nickname anymore felt strange. JJ almost felt like a different person with this new name but she supposed that was the point right?

“I was wondering,” JJ continued before Lauren could speak again. “If you could give me any recommendations to get a coffee. You seem to know your way around after all.” She gave her a bright and hopefully winning smile. “And I’ll buy you one as well for being so kind and helping me.” 

Truly Lauren had hoped to simply get on with her day. She really did want to get to the patisserie and it was getting later and later to do so. But at the same time she didn’t think she’d ever say no to a free coffee. Nor it seemed, did she want to completely say goodbye to Jennifer. 

“If you want coffee then you’ll have to follow me.” With a look at her watch, Lauren was off down the street, wanting to get her pastries before they were all gone. It was Jennifer’s job to keep up with her and she wasn’t going to slow down for her. 

. . .

After successfully getting to the patisserie in time to get what she wanted, Lauren had led Jennifer to her favourite little cafe where to get coffee. They sat outside underneath one of parasols, coffee and croissants in front of them enjoying the sun and the view. The gap between the buildings in front of them gave a small glimpse of the hills and countryside which surrounded them, a reason as to why it was Lauren’s favourite place. They’d gotten situated but hadn’t spoken much, or more Jennifer had rambled on and Lauren had barely spoken back to her. Lauren was the more stoic type, listening, watching her surroundings for anything out of the usual. It was instinct to do it, something which Emily had passed on. Though in Lauren’s job she also had to watch her back constantly. 

Lauren’s lack of conversation had caused Jennifer to frown, wondering why someone who clearly thought a lot about their own importance was letting her trail after them. Maybe she found it amusing, or maybe she was simply arrogant and full of herself. But despite all that, Jennifer was still intrigued. There was something about her that made her want to know more. Even despite her confident nature, when quiet she seemed to be a hundred miles away. What was going on inside her head? It was clear Lauren wasn’t the sort of person to open up as she was, but maybe she could get a little bit of a background on her. 

“So, Lauren, how long have you been here?” Jennifer attempted to make an actual conversation with her once they were seated. 

“About six months or so. What about you? Have you ever been out of America?” She raised an eyebrow at Jennifer. Although she wanted to get to know her, Emily was dubious about the fact. Getting too close to the younger woman would only put her in danger and she couldn’t have that. It was a push and pull motion between Lauren and Emily, though it was undecided who had won. These days it was usually Lauren who won. What Lauren wanted she got, but when it came to the safety of others, Emily wasn’t going to back down easily. 

Scoffing at the question, Jennifer felt her cheeks redden. Was it really that obvious? Even without her fake backstory she wondered if it was so obvious that she had hardly been out of the country. 

“Yes I’ve been out of America...once or twice.” Jennifer let out a giggle, keeping up her pretences, twirling a piece of her hair around her finger. “Is it obvious I haven’t done this much? I suppose that’s what happens when you grow up in the rural US. My husband tells me I should get out more. But tell me Lauren, do you usually take lost travellers under your wing? I mean, since you obviously know everything about this place in your six month stay.”

Lauren could tell her attitude was getting on Jennifer’s nerves just slightly and Emily decided to take the reins a little and pull her back. Lauren wasn’t particularly a person to be liked, more respected and feared. But Emily didn’t want to turn Jennifer away just yet. She might not want to get close to her but she didn’t want to be rude. Maybe it was because she was simply lonely. It wasn’t as if she had much female company at the villa, it really only being the housekeepers, and she hardly got to talk with Tsia. Having someone to talk to seemed nice, honestly. Of course she could never tell Jennifer anything as to what was happening, but company even for a short time would do her wonders. Emily and Lauren alike were isolated in this job, and having someone from the outside who knew nothing about her and couldn’t judge her almost sounded like a dream. 

“You’re the first person I’ve noticed around here in awhile. I mean there have been others obviously, we’re not completely in the middle of nowhere, but you’re the first to have caught my eye.” Lauren gave her a smile, something that could be seen as flirtatious in nature. She almost felt like she was leading Jennifer on, but what harm would it be when she was never going to see her again?

The tone change in Lauren’s voice had Jennifer lighting up. Maybe she did want her there after all. That only made Jennifer smirk, as she gave a small shrug. 

“You’re trying to tell me you don’t usually get blondes with berets wandering around with hardly any knowledge of the French language?” Raising an eyebrow, she looked into the chocolate brown eyes across from her, holding them for a good few seconds before dropping her gaze. 

“Not usually no. That makes you one of a kind doesn’t it.” Lauren smirked back at her, reaching to take a sip of her coffee. There was a pull of something, though she wasn’t completely sure of what yet. But Lauren wanted to know more about Jennifer, to see why she was so interesting to her. She didn’t care that she was on her honeymoon, nor did she care about her husband. Lauren got what Lauren wanted after all. 

“How long are you here for?” 

“Two months. Terrance has the funds and we thought why not? A nice little vacation before getting back into the swing of things.” A two month vacation seemed to be far too much for Jennifer, but she had to remember that she was married to a trust fund kid, a husband she was out of the league for. 

That seemed to put Lauren’s opinion of Jennifer out there. Of course she had that sort of air about her. Your stereotypical American dream girl. Not that either Lauren or Emily really knew what that meant. Lauren might have spent more time in the US but it was still a strange concept to them. Two months to possibly get to know the blonde however was a happy surprise. Two months of letting off a little bit of steam whilst having a stress job seemed perfect. Maybe she was getting away with herself here. 

The rest of the time spent outside with their coffee was nice, the air seeming to settle down slightly between the two of them. The day was beautiful, the company even better and for the first time in a long time Lauren felt at ease. She was almost disappointed when she had finished both her coffee and her croissant and looked at her watch to see the time. If only every day could be like today and she didn’t have to think about weapons deals or gaining information for her own team, or the impending feeling that something bad was going to happen.

“As much as I’d love to stay, I should get going. I’m sure your husband will be wondering where you are.” Lauren gave her a smile as she started to get ready to go. She was busy, and Doyle would also be wondering where she had got too. 

Jennifer felt herself deflate slightly when Lauren said she had to go, though she understood. Lauren was clearly a very busy and important person just by the way she held herself. She simply nodded and gave a smile towards her, running her fingers through her hair. 

“Yes, yes of course. I’m sure you’re a very busy person. I shan’t keep you. Will I see you again?” The question had slipped out of Jennifer’s mouth before she could even stop herself. Once again her cheeks flamed red and she bit her lip. 

“Oh you’re not getting rid of me that easily. You’ll see me around, don’t worry.” Lauren gave her a wink as she got up and gathered her basket and bag up. “It was nice meeting you Jennifer Henry.” 

And with that, Jennifer watched her walk away until she rounded a corner and was no longer in sight. She let out a long breath, sitting back in her seat and wondering how the day had turned out like this. Maybe being on this information hunt wouldn’t be so bad after all. Maybe she could make a friend and have someone other than Terrance to talk to. Whatever the case, Jennifer wanted to crack the enigma that was Lauren Reynolds.


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two! Sorry if there are any typos, especially in the second half because it's 3:30am and I'm tired haha!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Lauren couldn’t complain about the way she lived. She couldn’t complain at all. Being born in upstate New York, she had been the only child to Edward and Sarah Reynolds. Her childhood had seemed pretty normal to her; living in a nice house on the outskirts of a nondescript town. She’d gotten a bike for her seventh birthday and had crashed it four days later riding down a hill, resulting in the faint scar she had on her knee. She had had a little treehouse in the woods behind her house where she’d gone to smoke when she was a teenager. At school she had done well, with a small group of friends and good enough grades to get her into NYU, where she had graduated in French and Linguistics. Everything had seemed normal in her life, except it wasn’t. 

Her fathers work colleagues had been in and out of the house for as long as she could remember. She had known them all by their first names, and they had even given her candy or toys sometimes when they visited. They had treated her like a princess, just like her dad had done. Lauren had been around these sorts of people all her life; had been influenced by them so it was no surprise when she had become a part of gang culture. Following in her fathers footsteps so to speak. But she was well respected, not only because of him but because she could be brutal herself. No one crossed Lauren Reynolds and got away with it. Everything had led up to her life in that moment. Nothing, she was sure could have pulled her on a different path. Here she was in a lovely villa in the French countryside, surrounded by beauty, given everything she wanted and thoroughly loved by someone. What more could a person wish for? She was good at what she did and everyone knew it. 

It was easy to be Lauren, so easy in fact that she had spent hours thinking up every little intricate thing about her which didn’t matter to anyone. She thought about Lauren’s favourite coffee shop in college, what outfit she had worn to her middle school dance, even the time she had cut her own hair and ended up with a wonky bob. Half of what she had thought of had never come into any type of conversation with Doyle or anyone else, but it helped Lauren stay alive. It made her a real flesh and blood human being, with a beating heart who could touch, taste, see, hear and smell. She had thoughts, emotions, feelings. She was real. 

So real that Emily sometimes forgot she wasn’t a figment of Lauren’s imagination, that she wasn’t the character Lauren had spent hours making up in her head. After over a year of being Lauren, Emily Prentiss was starting to seem like a lost soul, slipping away through her fingers quicker than she would have liked. Every single person she had ever been, had taken something from her; Hédi Sarka, Alina Moretti, Christina Andreas, Isabella Ruiz; they had all chipped away at her somehow. But nothing was in comparison to Lauren Reynolds. Like a bull in a china shop she was slowly wrecking her from the inside out and Emily wondered, after this mission was finished, if she’d ever be who she’d been before. It was hard to even remember who Emily had been before Lauren and that in itself was terrifying. She had known from the get go that you could lose yourself in this job, but the reality of it was setting in quicker than she’d expected. Even if Emily survived this whole ordeal would she really be alive afterwards? 

God, she needed therapy. 

But despite all of that inner turmoil, Lauren couldn’t complain about her life. She could easily squash Emily down and forget about her like she was an invasive ant and go about her day. And that was what she did. Lauren’s days were more or less the same; a mixture of work and pleasure to do with as she wished. It suited her well enough, because she didn’t have time to be bored when there was so much around her to do but at the same time she didn’t feel overworked. It was a good balance, one she could thank Doyle for letting her have and Lauren could spend her free time in the garden or out in the town, reading or taking a walk. It was the life she had never thought she’d wanted but it was the right fit for her. She was safe, secure and loved. She couldn’t want for anything else. 

The only thing Lauren would ever yearn for was more company. Times when Doyle was busy or away and she didn’t want to bother his staff, Lauren spent alone. Usually she wouldn’t mind so much, enjoying her own company but from time to time being alone turned to loneliness and she longed to be around others. Emily longed to be around her team again. She only ever got to talk to Clyde or Tsia from time to time and truly she missed her best friends more than anything. She didn’t really have anyone other than them that she was incredibly close to anymore, and after a year of barely seeing them would that have changed as well? They were always around keeping her safe, and although Emily had placed a few bugs in the home so they could keep an eye on her, a lot of her work was down to her and her only. They trusted her to tell them anything new when she needed to and she trusted them to get her out of there if things went wrong. But Emily had been at this a lot longer than when they’d been in Hungary and she knew what she was doing. In the end it all came down to her. This entire operation was balancing on her shoulders. 

Perhaps that was why the arrival of Jennifer had caused a stir in her. Someone who had caught her eye, could potentially give her the company she needed and maybe even help forget the weight crushing her beneath it. It felt wrong to want something like that from a complete stranger. It felt like she was taking advantage of her, and whilst Emily cared, Lauren was indifferent. She didn’t have the time or patience to care too much about a stranger she was never going to see again once she went home. But sitting down with someone for coffee every now and then wouldn’t get in the way of anything. That was of course if Jennifer wanted to see her again, though Lauren had her ways of convincing her. 

It had been a few days since they’d first met, though Lauren hadn’t seen Jennifer since that first fateful day. She’d been busy at the villa, working alongside Doyle with what he allowed her to. There were still a lot of things, even now that he didn’t let her become involved in, though he would usually tell her afterwards. But Lauren knew better than to ask, to let him come to her. That was how they had grown the trust between them and how their connection had become stronger than Lauren ever thought it would. In a twisted way she cared for him, loved him, trusted him to keep her safe and give her a secure life. Lauren wasn’t opposed to it because she felt as if she belonged in this way of life. Emily didn’t get a say in the matter. She had done things she regretted, that had made her skin crawl and empty her insides into a toilet more than she could count. But the longer she stayed as Lauren, the more numb she was becoming to everything and that scared Emily senseless. 

. . .

The day was bright and warm as most days during the summer had been. There were hardly any clouds in the sky and the open doors and windows let in the nice breeze from outside. The villa was quiet this morning, an irregular occurrence for a place that was always teeming with life. But Doyle and his men were out for the day, weapons testing somewhere in the hills away from everyone. It was nice to have the place almost to herself, and Lauren had spent some time in the garden; a past time she had been enjoying more and more lately in warmer months. But the heat was hiking up and she had gone inside to make some lunch before she would be going out later on. She had calls to make to her contacts, though in reality it was Emily checking in with Tsia. It was always a good day when she got to talk to her and check in on the real world. Sometimes being in the villa got her stuck in that little world, everything tunnelling down to that town. There was a whole world outside of it and both Emily and Lauren were prone to forgetting that. It was an isolating job, though Emily was used to being both isolated and lonely. It was really nothing new for her. 

Going into the kitchen where she was making herself a panini, Lauren had her back to the door and was looking out of the window over the sink. It wasn’t long before she heard the sound of small running footsteps towards the kitchen, a grin appearing on her face as she knew exactly who it was. But Lauren pretended she hadn’t heard them, keeping her back to the door even when the footsteps had stopped against the stone floor. The perpetrator was trying their hardest to be quiet, though there was intermittent giggling on their part. They shuffled closer and closer, until the last moment when Lauren turned around suddenly. 

“Boo!” Reaching out, Lauren instantly went to tickle the young blonde boy who had managed to creep up quite close to her. 

“Lauren!” Declan squealed with laughter as he tried to get away from her but with no avail. “Stop! Stoooop! Pleaase!” He giggled loudly. 

“Okay! Okay! I’ll stop.” Laughing with him, Lauren stopped her tickling, instead picking him up so he could sit on the counter in front of her. 

“How did you know I was there?” Declan asked, swinging his legs over the side of the counter. 

“Because I have superpowers, that’s how.” Lauren ruffled his hair, moving to take her panini out of the sandwich toaster and putting it on a plate. Cutting it in half, she went to stand in front of Declan, putting the plate down beside him. She could see the way he eyed the food hungrily and Lauren couldn’t help but smile. 

Taking one half of the panini, she gave it to him. “Be careful when you bite into it, it’s hot.” She spoke as she took the other half to eat.

Lauren didn’t mind sharing with the young boy, loving his company whenever he decided to spend time with her. The two of them had created a somewhat special bond and Lauren truly adored him. It was considerate for Doyle to let Declan stay with his mother whilst she worked here, and also paid for him to have a tutor. Lauren had spent her time helping him with reading, teaching him French and how to play the piano. Declan was a fast learner and Lauren felt in her element spending time with him. He knew nothing of the horrors that went on around him and she hoped he would never know. Lauren would do anything in her power for as long as she could to keep his childhood an unassuming and happy time. 

Watching Declan carefully bite into panini, Lauren took a bite of her own, humming at the taste. She would never get over how much better the food was in Europe to the US, though it had been at least eight months since she’d last been there. Really though there wasn’t much that Lauren wouldn’t try anywhere around the world. It had been fun getting Declan different types of French chocolates and sweets to try, his face always full of delight and excitement. His happiness often melded with Lauren’s happiness; a silent longing to perhaps have children herself one day. But was it Lauren’s longing or Emily’s? That wasn’t something that could be separated easily. 

“Have you had a fun morning?” 

“Yes!” Declan nodded eagerly. “I was building with my Lego’s and I made a huge tower!” 

“Oh you did? Well you’ll have to show me your tower after lunch won’t you.” 

Nodding again, Declan grinned at her as he continued to eat his half of the panini. He was a very happy and content child, whose energy seemed to soften everyone around him. 

It didn’t take them long to both have their halves of the panini, Lauren going to put the plate in the dishwasher before going over to one of the top cupboards and pulling out a chocolate bar. It had always been a secret between them, Lauren giving Declan a chocolate bar without anyone else knowing, and something that had helped her gain trust with the young boy. Watching as his eyes widened in excitement, she put a finger to her lips to keep it quiet between the two, before going over to him and handing it to him. 

“Come on, let’s go see your tower.” Helping him off of the counter, Lauren followed him as he rushed out of the kitchen patio doors across to the little annex where he and Louise lived. It was a nice little place, simple but homely and filled with Declan’s pictures and everything he’d ever made. It made her heart burst. 

In the middle of the living room floor was a large box of Lego’s, a rather tall tower stood beside it. It was clear he had tried to tidy up as best as he could after he’d finished but there were still little pieces of Lego strewn around the place. The tower did look impressive however and Lauren smiled widely as she went over to take a closer look. 

“It’s nearly as tall as you! It’s great buddy, well done.” She held her hand up for him to high five, which he did enthusiastically. 

“Do you like it? Do you think it’s nearly as tall as the Eiffel Tower?” 

“You know, I think it is. You’ll have to keep it and then if you ever get to go then you can measure it.” Lauren chuckled as she knelt down beside where he was standing. 

Declan’s eyes lit up and he nodded quickly. “Yes! Yes! I’m going to measure it. Do you want to see how it works?” 

“Of course I do, Declan.” Lauren spent the next ten minutes or so listening as he explained each function of the tower from the bottom all the way to the top. She could have listened to him forever, the way he seemed so excited and happy to share his creation. But unfortunately she couldn’t stay there all day. 

Looking at her watch to check the time, Emily knew she had to get going soon so she got to her meeting with Tsia on time. Putting her hand on his shoulder, it made him stop talking for a moment to look over at her. 

“I’d love to stay longer buddy, but I’ve got to go and get some work done. I’m sorry.” 

“Oh, that’s okay.” Declan gave a little shrug. “Can we build some stuff when you get back?” 

“If I can then we definitely will, yeah?” She smiled at him as she went to stand, ruffling his hair as she did. 

“Okay. Thank you for coming to look at it.” He beamed up at her. 

“You’re welcome Declan. I’ll see you later. Don’t forget to eat your chocolate.” 

After they’d said their goodbyes, Emily had made her way from the annex back into the main villa to put on her boots and grab everything she needed. It wasn’t long before she had got the keys to the car and had got in to start the journey to meet Tsia. 

. . .

Arriving in Cannes a little under an hour later, Emily had parked by the beach. With the window rolled half the way down, she looked out at the sea for a few minutes. The journey down from the hills had brought Emily out from the depths of Lauren’s brain a little, though not as much as she’d wished. It was more exhausting than it should have been, meaning she needed a few moments to compose herself before she made the first call. Getting out her main phone, Emily hovered over the number of her contact, ready to be Lauren for a few more minutes. Although she was sure the car wasn’t bugged, she couldn’t be too careful and so the first call - the one about a weapons shipment - would be made there whilst the second, would be made outside. They had done this enough times for it to be second nature. 

The first call didn’t take long, though hearing Tsia’s voice made a layer of calm wash over Emily as it usually did. It still held the strong but slightly affectionate tone she knew all too well, and she couldn’t help but smile a little as they talked. They made it short and professional as always, before Emily hung up and left the phone in the car. Again, she was sure it wasn’t bugged but she’d rather not take that chance. No one knew who she was, what she was there to do but it would be careless not to take every precaution she could. 

A short way down from the car was a bench with a magazine on it that someone had left behind. Emily knew different of course, but sat down next to it without a second glance. Out the corner of her periveral, she saw Tsia four benches down from her though knew better than to look over at her. Even though she had been in regular contact with both Tsia and Clyde, Emily hadn’t been able to see either of them face to face since leaving the US. It wasn’t far from saying she craved some sort of familiar touch, to even fall back into old habits with her best friend. The two of them had shared many a lonely night together, bodies entwined, breathing matched and laboured before settling down in each other’s arms for some sort of solace. Though it hadn’t always been just nights they’d shared. The vivid memory of Clyde walking in on them in the safe house in Greece came to mind. He hadn’t been able to look either of them in the eye for weeks, though both women had found it highly hilarious. 

A shrill ring of a phone startled Emily out of her thoughts and without hesitation she reached under the magazine next to her and pulled out a burner phone, lifting it to her ear, eyes kept straightforward to the seafront. Although she had just gotten off the phone with her, this call already seemed that more intimate. 

“How can you wear jeans in this heat? Aren’t you burning to death?” Came the familiar tone, which soothed her all over again. 

“What? You want me to wear shorts? No thank you.” Emily rolled her eyes even if Tsia couldn’t see her though there was a smile on his face. 

“Oh I don’t know, you look hot in booty shorts, you should try it again. I know I’d definitely be a fan.” 

Laughing a proper laugh for the first time in forever, Emily shook her head, glancing over at her friend for just a moment. “Now, now, don’t let Clyde hear you say that or he might shout at us again.” 

“He’s not around today, and besides, he deserves to be scarred for life. He’s done it enough to us in the past. It isn’t like he’s the boss of us.” 

“I mean he is, but you’re right. Though I won’t be wearing shorts anytime soon. Your dress looks nice though, did you wear that just for me?” Emily crossed her legs one over the other, leaning back against the bench as she relaxed. 

“I wore it because it’s fucking boiling.” Tsia mused and Emily saw her glance in her direction. They were still being careful despite slacking slightly, but hearing her voice after longer than normal had made Emily forget about the mission for just a second. 

“How are you anyway Em?” There was a swift change in Tsia’s tone, one from joking and flirty to semi serious and slightly concerned. 

Tsia was sure she had all the rights to be worried as Emily had missed her last check in and had only sent a quick message to apologise and set up the next one. Emily had never missed a check in even when situations had been more serious than this. She had been lucky they hadn’t tried to get her out of there, trusting that she had her reasons and wasn’t in any immediate danger. 

At the question, Emily let her mind wander as it had done before. How was she? She didn’t know. She knew she was tired and starting to become drained but apart from that Emily’s feelings were too deep and complicated for her to even want to sort through. They were hidden as much as Emily was when Lauren was at the forefront and that’s where they would stay. She wouldn't worry her best friend like that, not when they were this far in now. If she got pulled out then Emily would never forgive her team or herself. So she stayed as focused as she could. 

Not so focused however to realise she hadn’t spoken and Tsia was calling her name to get her attention once more. 

“Hmm? Sorry. I’m fine, I’m fine. Tired, but fine.” It was the best Emily was going to give her. Even with them being close she still wasn’t the most open person in the world. If anything this mission had made her close herself up even more than before. That’s what happened when you had to be someone else. Of course Emily never expected Tsia to believe her, but she also knew she wouldn’t push too much. At least, not now. 

“Do you want to talk about why you missed the last check in?” In the years she had known Emily, Tsia probably knew her better than anyone. She knew when she was holding something back, when she was trying to avoid the subject. She knew how her moods and emotions could rise and dip and had seen a fair few of these first hand. She could tell by the way Emily spoke that she was starting to feel the effects of this mission and Tsia refused to let it cost her her life. 

Truthfully, Emily didn’t know why she had missed the check in. There hadn’t been a definite reason as to why she had, except how she had felt more than drained that day to even try and keep in contact with her team. It was a bad move, she knew but at the time Emily hadn’t cared. But she wouldn’t let it happen again, Emily knew she couldn’t let herself slip now. It was far too dangerous to her and everyone else if she did. She was resilient and stubborn and she refused to give up until the job was done. 

“Not really. I was just...tired.” Emily admitted, knowing Tsia wasn’t going to share that with anyone else unless she needed too. 

There was a short silence with a sigh from Tsia’s end. “I know sweetie. I know you were. But you’re close to the end, I can feel it. All you have to do is hold on a little longer. I know you can do it.” 

“Close to the end? That will be the day.” 

There was another silence between the two of them, Emily longing to go over to her and have a hug. She needed the touch from someone other than Doyle, because at times it drove her insane. But that only made her think of Jennifer. If she couldn’t have Tsia then there was a small chance she could have her for a short while. A very small chance but she was still hoping. Maybe this was why Lauren never let Emily out much these days; she was letting her feelings get the best of her. But in the end, she knew she would finish this job and finish it to the highest standard. 

“I met someone. A woman.” A quick change in subject was what Emily needed and talking about Jennifer gave her a little spring in her step. 

“You did? What’s she like?” Tsia asked, knowing Emily wasn’t going to talk anymore about her feelings today. 

“Blonde, pretty, married. We’ve only gone for coffee but she seems nice.” She smiled at the thought of Jennifer, content settling into her. 

As much as Tsia was thrilled that someone had caught Emily’s eye, she knew she had to be cautious. Emily was too close to let herself lose sight of her goal now - though she wasn’t too worried about that - but she also couldn’t let anyone get too close to her. 

“Em-“ 

“Yes, I know, I know. I shouldn’t get involved because it could jeopardize everything. But I’m going to be careful Tee, I’m not going to let her get too close.” Emily sighed. She understood why she’d be worried, but Emily had it under control. After all, Jennifer thought she was Lauren. Emily didn’t exist to the blonde and that was the safest she could ever get. Or so she thought. 

“Listen, I know you and I know you’ll be careful. So I’m not going to tell Clyde about it unless things start to progress. Keep me up to date though.” All in all, Tsia knew Emily needed a break. She’d never gone undercover for this long continuously and she could tell it was starting to take a toll on her. Emily would be able to do her job just fine but it was afterwards she was worried about. But the introduction of this woman might give her the chance to relax slightly. 

“I will, thank you.” Emily hummed, a soft smile on her face. She knew that Tsia would always have her back; that was what she loved about her. 

“You deserve a bit of fun Em’s, everything will be alright in the end.” 

Emily wondered if that would be true, that everything would be alright. At the moment it felt like a fifty/fifty toss. On one hand she could work her magic until the moment where Doyle and his men were arrested, or they would find out she was a spy and she’d be dead before she even realised. Either way, she knew she’d have done her job to the best of her ability, so maybe Tsia was right. Maybe everything would be alright in the end, whether she ended up dead or not.


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three is here and oh boy is it a long one. It's three am again so please forgive any typos and I'll change them in the morning. 
> 
> Warning: nsfw (smut)
> 
> Please be nice, this is only the second time I've written smut for a fanfic so I might be a little rusty. But I hope you enjoy!

Although JJ had never been on an official information hunt, she had never expected it to be like this. Throughout college she often wondered if she should go into journalism, because JJ was sure she had a knack of finding out information she necessarily shouldn’t. Now JJ wouldn’t exactly call herself a nosey person, more...inquisitive and curious. She blamed it on the small community life she had grown up in; everyone knew everyone else’s business within a day of it coming out. It was part of the reason she had wanted to leave East Allegheny and get away from that. She preferred living somewhere busy, where people didn’t know or demand to know every moment of your life, but in a place where you could be friendly and semi-know your neighbours. 

But that didn’t mean she hadn’t picked up some of the necessary skills when she was younger to get people to open up to her about things. Whilst JJ liked to keep her own life private enough - or certain parts of it - she did love to hear about others’ stories. She found people of all walks of life so interesting, and she loved how they trusted her enough to tell her things they might not tell others. JJ always prided herself in being a good listener, in being understanding and compassionate and that had been part of the reason she had joined the FBI. She wanted to be there for people, to help them in any way she could. 

That was what this mission was about. Listening to people tell their stories, and helping find out anything to do with the missing agent. However JJ hadn’t expected it to be so boring. Was boring the right word? She wasn’t sure. Slow, maybe. Although they had only been in Callian for a week, she’d been positive that they would have gotten some more information by now. But they had nothing and JJ was feeling restless because of it. Ideally she knew that the mission wouldn’t be closed in a week or two, but it hadn’t really sunk in yet how slow it would be. JJ wasn’t good with things going at a slow place, working better when she had five things to do at the same time; even if three of those things she’d started by procrastinating the other two. Slow made her ring her hands together and fidget, it had for a long time. 

As frustrated at JJ might be feeling, she knew she had to stay focused and get the job done. A person's life was at stake after all, and if it was found that he had been killed then his killers deserved to be brought to justice. If it was something else? Well they’d figure that out when they came to it. JJ didn’t know the agent who had disappeared, but according to Terrance and other agents, he was well respected and liked. She wondered, if it had been someone they hadn’t liked as much of they’d have put so much effort into finding them. But that was such a negative way to think and she had pushed the thought from her head almost immediately. This was what she wanted to do, she wanted to help people though JJ had never thought it would be one of their own first. 

Playing the besotted couple seemed to be a good enough cover that had fooled a lot of people, though it was clear that the two of them were a little out of place in the small town. JJ wasn’t sure if it was their supposed ages or the fact that they were very for public displays of affection that had caused them to stand out, but it was clear that a lot of the locals wanted to stay as clear of them as possible. JJ understood, because every time she had to kiss Terrance in public or his arm was a little too low around her waist, she felt uncomfortable. He was a nice enough guy, but a fake relationship seemed a little too much out of her comfort zone. Still, it was her job and she’d perform it with excellency and gain the respect she deserved. JJ was more than just some rookie agent and she would make sure everyone knew it. 

Thankfully Terrance seemed confident that they were on the right track and there was nothing to worry about, and that in itself helped JJ calm and focus back on the job at hand. Still, it was hard to get much information from people when she hardly spoke their language. The town’s residents seemed to keep themselves, only talking to the tourists when they had too. If anything it looked like they were harbouring some sort of secret, but perhaps that was just how it was like in a town like this. Despite JJ wanting to escape from it, East Allegheny had always been welcoming to outsiders. Callian was different and the more JJ spent in the town the more it had a mysterious feel about it. She was fascinated by this small, historic French town though not as fascinated as she was by Lauren Reynolds. 

Unfortunately she hadn’t spoken to Lauren since the first day they’d met, though she had seen her from a distance once or twice. JJ wasn’t sure what the pull towards her was, but it was there and she longed to speak with her again. She had been thinking about their time having coffee, the low honeyed tone of Lauren’s voice drifting through her head. Her voice made her feel calm, safe and so many other things, all of which JJ wanted to experience time and time again. She wasn’t sure what it was about Lauren, but JJ needed to see her again. 

Luck seemed to be on JJ’s side the next day, as she and Terrance took yet another trip into the town. It was yet another warm day, though a lot cloudier than it had been previously. Still, JJ wore a nice sea green sundress and a straw sunhat. She’d learnt her lesson on wearing heels around the hilly town and had chosen some white flats to go with her outfit. She’d even curled her hair slightly so it bounced around her shoulders. Her outfit made her feel cute and JJ didn’t mind as much with her arm linked with Terrance’s as they made their way down the road. If anything the walks would certainly keep her fitness up to a level she liked it to be. As they walked, they decided to get a drink from the small cafe where JJ and Lauren had sat a week prior. JJ got herself a lemonade, feeling something cool and fresh whilst Terrance and got a coffee. 

They sat and talked for a while, keeping up their pretence of a married couple when JJ’s eyes narrowed in on a familiar figure. Lauren was walking down the street towards them, three or four books in her arms and looking as flawless as she had done the first time JJ had seen her. Immediately she sat more upright in her chair, hands that had been fidgeting together sitting perfectly in her lap. A smile appeared on her face, which had certainly lit up at the sight of the other woman. 

“Lauren! Over here!” JJ lifted a hand up to wave Lauren down as she came closer to the pair of them sitting outside. She wasn’t sure what had made her do such a thing, but JJ didn’t care right now. All she wanted was to talk to her. 

Lauren hadn’t noticed Jennifer at first, too busy in her own little world and thinking about the books she’d purchased. She had frequented the little bookshop in one of the side streets at least once a week since she’d been here and had brought many. Most of the time she didn’t go in to buy, simply to browse, read and talk to the owner. It was a nice way to get away from the villa and for Emily to have some peace. 

Hearing Jennifer’s angelic voice, she looked up and over to where the source of it had come from, seeing her and who she assumed was her husband sitting at the cafe. A happy smile appeared on her face, keeping it polite and not letting her features light up. She couldn’t be too happy with seeing the other woman after all. Emily would take Tsia’s advice and not get too close, but Lauren did whatever she wanted and got whatever she wanted. 

“Jennifer. How lovely to see you again. You must be her husband.” Lauren gave Terrance a polite smile as she stopped in front of their table, holding her hand out to him. “Lauren. Lauren Reynolds.” 

“Terrance Henry.” Terrance took her hand and shook it, giving Lauren a nod in greeting. 

JJ looked between the two of them, shifting in her chair as her hands stayed clenched in her lap. It was strange having them meet; the person she was meant to be married too and the other who made her pulse race more than it should. Even if they hadn’t been undercover Terrance wouldn’t have been JJ’s type in men. She wasn’t really sure what her type of man was, having dated quite widely over the spectrum. It was a good thing Terrance was married in real life and had a toddler back at home because that made it less awkward somehow. 

“Would you care to join us Lauren? I can get you a drink?” JJ’s insistence of asking Lauren to join them hadn’t gone unnoticed by either party, though for different reasons. Terrance thought that she might want to get to know the woman better for information, whilst Lauren had a different idea as to why she might want to get to know her. They were both right in their own way, though the former wouldn’t come to light for a while yet. 

“Oh, I don’t want to bother the both of you. After all, you are on your honeymoon.” Lauren declined with a shake of her head though her eyes stayed on Jennifer, barely looking in Terrance’s direction. 

“Nonsense. You don’t mind, do you babe.” JJ didn’t even let Terrance answer before she was pulling up a third chair to the patio table. Her smile was bright and welcoming, eager to have the other women join them whilst they had their drinks. Even the glance from Terrance in her direction didn’t deter JJ in her actions. 

Lauren studied the two of them for a moment though her eyes still barely left Jennifer. There was something in the clear blue depths of them that Lauren found she craved. They shared something, though she couldn’t pinpoint what it was yet. Longing? That didn’t make sense. Her husband was right there next to her. Unless it was a longing which Terrance didn’t know about and that Jennifer could see she understood. Both Lauren and Emily had had moments in their life where they’d had to hide their identities deep within them - and this was not about being undercover - and it had been damaging to say the least. It wouldn’t be unusual for Jennifer to hide who she was, especially from how prejudiced the world still was. So maybe that was why Lauren sat down in the chair offered to her. Because she understood Jennifer and shared that same feeling of longing. 

‘’Thank you, it’s nice of you to offer. How have you been? Enjoying yourself?’’ Lauren put the books down on the table for a moment as she searched through her bag for her bottle of water.

‘’Oh we’ve been great and really enjoying ourselves haven’t we honey. This is such a cute little town and I love that we’re somewhere relaxing. I mean, I still wanted to be by the beach but I can’t really complain at Terrance’s choice of location.’’ Jennifer talked excitedly, as one would expect from a newlywed wife. She turned her wedding ring between her fingers; an action she wasn’t even conscious she was doing. 

‘’Well, we’re not that far from the beach. We have plenty of time to go Jen.’’ Terrance gave a laugh and shook her head. ‘’She wants to do everything at once and I’ve told her time and time again that we have two months to tick everything off her list. 

Although JJ knew that being the demanding, slightly high strung wife was a part of her cover it still irritated her slightly. It wasn’t the first time a man had made remarks about her excited and energetic behaviour, being told to slow down and chill out. Even though she had meant to hide it she knew some of her irritation had shown on her face but JJ tried to mask it quickly. Their fake relationship had to be convincing to everyone around them and whilst JJ was sometimes frustrated, she had to remind herself that it wasn’t real. 

Unbeknownst to her however, Emily had caught the shimmer of irritation in Jennifer’s eyes. It was a shared trait between Emily and Lauren; her ease in noticing human behaviour simply because Emily couldn’t switch it off. Her whole job was to study people - mainly Doyle - and create a profile of him. Even with Lauren at the reigns, it was a continuous subconscious part of her brain ticking away. But even with noticing the emotion, Emily obviously didn’t know the true reasoning behind it. She simply thought of it as a wife annoyed with her husband’s wording. But she agreed with it regardless. Why shouldn’t Jennifer be over excited on her honeymoon? 

‘’Have you been to Cannes yet? It’s lovely down there. Busy this time of year but it’s nice, especially the beaches.’’ Lauren asked, crossing one leg over the other as she took a sip of her water. 

‘’No, no, not yet, but I’ll be sure to add it to the list.’’ JJ nodded with a bright smile. The thought of going to relax on the beach sounded wonderful, but she doubted they’d get to do it whilst on the job. 

‘’I must say, you’re not the sort of couple we usually see around here. I’d put you more in Paris or Nice, not a tiny little hillside town.’’ Lauren would always be one to speak her mind. She wasn’t worried about others’ opinions of her after all. 

The comment seemed to stir something in Terrance, raising an eyebrow at Lauren. ‘’What makes you say that?’’ He asked. 

‘’Oh you know, just from experience. We’re not the most luxurious place in the world. Though, I suppose a two month long honeymoon will get you further here then it will up in Paris.’’ Part of Emily wished it had led to Paris. Her love for the city exceeded most things, though there were still several painful memories associated with the place. This was somewhere new, somewhere she felt at home. Of course Doyle would choose somewhere more secluded for his work, but being able to disappear into the many narrow streets of Paris would have been the dream. 

Terrance had given JJ a look, because it had clearly been her who had shared that information with Lauren. It wasn’t a secret by any means, but he wondered if she was on to something with this woman. He wasn’t suspicious of everyone in the town, but Lauren’s comment had made him slightly on edge. 

‘’Well, like you said, money doesn’t go as far in Paris as it does here, and we wanted to get away somewhere quiet. Living in D.C. makes you crave the peace of the middle of nowhere.’’ 

Emily wanted to agree with that, but she couldn’t. Lauren had never been to D.C. even though Emily had lived there several times in both her youth and adulthood. She almost missed the familiar sights and sounds of the city she had grown fond of. She’d lived in so many places, but D.C felt nice and comfortable. Emily wouldn’t say it felt like home though. Nothing felt like home and never had. She had moved too much to ever get herself grounded in one place. She was a stray, wandering around until someone new picked her up and took her in for a while. That’s what Clyde and Tsia had done when she’d joined JTF-12. 

‘’Oh, I get that. I lived in Manhattan for a time. This is far more desirable.’’ Lauren nodded, glancing over at Jennifer whose gaze was transfixed on her. 

‘’What made you move here? I doubt there’s many other American’s living here full time, right?’’ Terrance asked as he lightly probed, taking on a curious demeanour as to why Lauren would be there in the first place. 

‘’My boyfriend wanted us to live somewhere nice. He has business around this area and down by the coast. I’m not one to deny him of a happy, lavish life.’’ The word ‘boyfriend’ had never felt right on Lauren’s tongue as much as she had tried to make it to. Emily abhorred the word, it made her insides twist and for deep seated nausea to spring up. It wasn’t even the correct word but it was better than fiance or whatever the rings entwined around her neck meant. Still, what Lauren had said hadn’t been a lie. It had been Doyle’s idea to come to France and settle in the hills, and Lauren hadn’t once said no. It was his own property anyway and the familiarity of it for him had put her at ease. Nothing was easier than to slip into a comfortable routine when the person she was profiling was at his calmest. 

‘’Boyfriend?’’ JJ blurted out, not having expected this sudden reveal. Nothing had clued her in to Lauren being in a relationship and she wasn’t so sure how she felt about that. It shouldn’t bother her in the slightest, but it just didn’t seem to fit into the narrative JJ had made up herself. Maybe Lauren was in the same boat as her in the sense that whatever their prolonged eye contact and subtle flirty looks meant, it was an escape. Of course neither woman knew the other's relationship was a lie, though Lauren’s was far more real than JJ’s. 

‘’Yes, boyfriend.’’ Lauren never took her eyes off of Jennifer, hoping to silently convey that that little detail about her life didn’t matter. She still wanted to get to know Jennifer regardless of Doyle. 

Jennifer did indeed catch the underlying message in Lauren’s eyes, her body shifting to sit up a little straighter. Surely she had been right then; Lauren wanted to escape as much as she did to a point where nothing in the world mattered but the two of them. JJ couldn’t see the risks of letting that happen. It wasn’t as if she’d be around long enough for it to make a severe impact on her or their investigation. Lauren would never know anything about that. Oh how naïve JJ was. 

‘’Any man would be lucky to have someone like you.’’ The implications of the meaning behind her words were laced into her sentence. 

‘’You’re right, any person would.’’ Lauren couldn’t help the way a smirk flickered at her lips as she watched how Jennifer’s eyes widened. She didn’t care that Terrance was right next to them or if he understood their subtle flirting and got mad because of it. Lauren got what she wanted, always, and right now she wanted Jennifer. The reason was purely lust, but what wouldn’t she do to feel a woman underneath her again. 

‘’Have you both been to La Pomme d’Eve yet? It’s the tavern near the church. If you come tonight you’ll probably get to meet him and it’s a nice place to drink.’’ Lauren drank from her water bottle again, trying not to stare too intently as Jennifer. 

‘’No, we haven’t but we should go and check it out, shouldn’t we babe.’’ JJ spoke as she finally lost eye contact with Lauren and looked over at Terrance. She couldn’t see anything wrong with going to have a few drinks; it would hopefully loosen a few tongues and they might even get some information about their missing agent. If not? Well then it would still be nice to have a drink or two and relax slightly. Even being in such a nice place, JJ had felt the tension of almost constantly being on the job and whilst she loved it, it was also something she wasn’t used to yet. 

“Yeah, yeah if you want.” Terrance nodded shortly. It would be a good opportunity to scout out some of the other residents of the town. 

“Wonderful.” Lauren smiled. “Well I won’t keep you both much longer, I’m sure you’ll be wanting to get on with your day.” She gathered up her books to stand up from the table. 

“I’ll see you tonight I hope?” Lauren asked, eyes settled on Jennifer once more. 

“I hope so too.” JJ replied, a soft smile in return. 

Nodding, Lauren said goodbye to the two of them before walking off with her books in hand, feeling good about how things had gone. Even if it was just one night, all she wanted was to get lost in a woman and pretend the rest of the world didn’t exist. It would calm Emily’s soul slightly from the constant battering of having to sleep with Doyle. It might be her job but that didn’t mean she liked it. 

. . .

It was a semi regular occurrence for them to head to the tavern every other Friday night to have a drink and relax. Nothing extravagant, just her, Doyle and a few of his right hands taking up their usual space near the bar. It always went the same way whenever they did; she was shown off to everyone and surrounded by too much testosterone all evening. Lauren didn’t mind that much however. She liked the attention, liked how she could flirt with others and still keep her spot at the top with Ian egging her on the whole time. It was a little game they played, though nothing ever went too far. He was too possessive over her for that to happen and she had too much self respect to have sex with any of the other men. One man was enough. 

Still, Lauren enjoyed their nights out for the most part and she was enjoying this one. She never let herself have too much to drink, just a glass or two to nurse through the night so she could keep her wits about her. Even if she knew she was completely safe, she didn’t want to take that risk. She might not take her flirting any further than just that, but some of Doyle’s men had tried to make a pass at her in the past and she’d rather it not happen again. It hadn’t ever ended well for those who did though. Doyle was always ready to show his dominance and possessive nature over Lauren, and Lauren herself? Well she didn’t take kindly to any man willing to force himself on her or anyone else. 

Tonight she was wearing tight black jeans which certainly showed off her ass, a white cut blouse - stylish but practical - and high heeled boots. Her hair had been curled to fall into loose ringlets, but such a simple look had been effective enough to turn many heads to watch her. Lauren was leaning back against Doyle against the end of the bar, his arms resting around her waist tightly, but in an oddly comforting way. Lauren felt safe and protected in his arms, as if no harm would come to her and she knew it wouldn’t if her secret stayed safe. 

They were laughing at a joke being told, Lauren turning her head up to kiss his jaw when she saw the door open out the corner of her eye. The tavern was busy as it always was, but in that moment she only had eyes for the people who walked in from outside. Gaze fixed on Jennifer, Lauren licked moisture onto her lips as her eyes flickered up and down her outfit, feeling the heat start to burn in her lower stomach. She couldn’t look away as they found themselves a table, completely enamoured by her. As Lauren watched, her attention turned to Terrance for a second. In this moment, she could tell he was not her type. He was safe, too safe. Safe and boring and the sort of guy who didn’t care completely about his girl. It was only an observation of course and she could have been wrong about it, but regardless it made Lauren slightly angry. She’d witnessed too many women settling for the safe type of guy when they could have gone for someone far more interesting and who would treat them better. Her for instance. 

As soon as JJ had started walking from the hotel she’d felt uncomfortable, impractical and damn right foolish. Once getting back to their rooms, the two agents had devised a plan for their outing that night. Terrance seemed to have convinced himself that something was definitely going on around here and someone knew nothing about the missing agent. Their plan was to dress up - or more JJ dress up - and for her to see if she could find some information her own way. She was dressed in a tight black plunging dress, which both showed off her boobs and only just covered her ass. She had a thin cardigan on, but it did nothing to hide anything. Walking into town she didn’t even wear it, the air still quite warm and instead had it strung over her bag. But Terrance had said it could help and if he thought so then she had to try it. 

But that didn’t mean JJ didn’t stick out like a sore thumb. A lot of both the locals and tourists didn’t get so dressed up around here it seemed. That was more of the life down in Cannes and Nice and places with an affluent nightlife. JJ had worn this sort of stuff in college, but that had been different. Now she felt slightly self-conscious that everyone was staring at her, but she still carried herself with an air of grace and dignity. If she was going to play the overachieving wife who wanted attention then she was going to do it well. Still, the fact that she was all dressed up and Terrance was in a simple shirt and jeans might have played the part of their relationship, but it still annoyed JJ slightly. Is this why they’d asked her to come on this mission? Because she was young and would do anything to gain respect? Right now it seemed like it.

Terrance was talking about something she had no interest in as they walked through the door of the tavern. The place was rather cosy inside, wooden beams running across the ceiling and dark wood furniture scattered around the inclosed space. It was busy, though the low yellow, almost orange lighting gave the place a feeling that it went on forever as the lights never reached the corners and thus dowsing them in shadow. JJ quickly found a table, going over to sit down and claim it. She put her bag down on the table top, her eyes scanning the tavern properly now. It was a mix of locals and tourists, all busy in their own little worlds and most of those who had looked at her upon entering had turned back to their own conversations. 

Whilst Terrance had gone to get them both drinks, JJ sat there playing with the ring on her finger once more. Eyes still sweeping the room, they finally landed on the one person she had been hoping to see. Taking in a sharp breath at how good Lauren looked, she noticed the way the man behind her - clearly her boyfriend - had his arms wrapped possessively around her waist. A scowl crossed her face at it, not impressed by how tightly he was holding her. He seemed like the sort of person you wouldn’t want to cross even on a bright sunny day and she wondered how someone like Lauren could ever be with him. There was a chance she could be wrong of course, but either way JJ couldn’t help the jealousy rising up inside her. 

Once she had a cocktail in her hand, she sipped at it and let her partner rattle on about whatever he wanted, hardly paying attention once more. JJ knew how to make noises of agreement in the right places for him to think she was listening but even so, it suited their fake relationship perfectly. 

Time went on and nothing interesting had happened except that every time Lauren looked at her, JJ felt her stomach flip and butterflies take off. Who was even allowed to look that gorgeous? All she could focus on were her lips, her hands, the way her ass looked in those tight jeans. The cocktail was certainly fuelling on her desire but JJ couldn’t find a reason to make it stop. It was as Lauren made eye contact with her again for what felt like the twentieth time and kept it going for a good thirty seconds, did JJ finally make up her mind. 

‘’I’ll be right back honey.’’ She gave Terrance a large fake smile before finishing the rest of her drink, hopping off her chair and making her way over to where Lauren was surrounded by the group of men at one of the booths near the bar. Part of her was apprehensive of approaching the group, but she acted as if she was simply going to lean against the bar, ordering herself a strong shot. Liquid confidence, that was what they called it right? Even when her small drink was given to her and she knocked it back, JJ found herself reeling from its effect. 

Moving away from the bar and closer to the table, JJ kept her gaze on Lauren. ‘’Look at us, meeting like this again. Maybe it’s my lucky day.’’ 

Lauren had smirked to herself when Jennifer had finally made her way over to the bar. She looked stunning in that dress and she knew she hadn’t been the only one to notice either. In that moment she felt Ian’s breath against her ear, his hands tightening slightly around her as he murmured something in her ear that only she could hear. Lauren glanced up at him with a smirk, nodding and humming nodding in agreement though her eyes had hardened ever so slightly with what he’d said. Emily would never let him or anyone else here lay a hand on Jennifer, she was sure about that. Still, Lauren knew he wouldn’t mind her having some fun of her own. That is if she wanted it. She wasn’t about to force her to do anything. 

‘’I think it’s lucky for both of us.’’ Lauren purred as she approached the table, leaning forward to be closer to her and give her her full attention. 

Glancing over at the men and Lauren’s boyfriend, JJ felt something bubble in the pit of her stomach and made her skin start to crawl. It was unnerving now she was closer to them, the atmosphere the group gave off. Alarm bells were going off in the back of her mind though she wasn’t completely sure why. Still, JJ knew to trust her own instincts and they were telling her right now that something wasn’t right. It wasn’t just that however, being closer to them made JJ hate the hold Lauren’s boyfriend had on her even more so and she gave the man a small smug grin and extended her hand out towards him, wanting to get his arms away from Lauren.

‘’Sorry, how rude of me, we haven't even met. I’m Jennifer.’’ 

‘’Ah, so this is the girl you talked about love,’’ He spoke to Lauren, reaching out to shake her hand, leaving his touch lingering a little longer than was considered polite. His eyes raked her body once more, not even trying to be subtle about it. ‘’Ian Doyle. A pleasure to meet you.’’ 

‘’Oh please, the pleasure is all mine.’’ JJ knew the grasp on her hand was for two reasons: one, attraction and two, intimidation. Neither of them shook her in that moment when they should have done. All her energy and focus was on Lauren and not on Ian Doyle or any of the men around her. She might have felt slightly uneasy in their presence, but with Lauren there she somehow knew everything would be fine. 

Nimble fingers released Doyle’s hand, coming up to twirl a strand of her blonde hair around her finger. Hearing that Lauren had spoken about her to others made her heart skip a beat, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly and her gaze, which had been on Doyle, quickly returned to Lauren. How could someone she had known for such a short period of time get to her? Was JJ really that desperate for some intimacy that hearing someone she hardly knew talk about her made her giddy? It seemed so. 

‘’She’s only told you good things I hope?’’ 

‘’Of course. Only good things.’’ Lauren reiterated as she purred out. The blush on Jennifer’s delicate skin was making her feel something and it was only a matter of time before she acted upon it. 

JJ’s lips quirked up into a smile, watching as the other woman looked at her almost hungrily. She wasn’t going to last much longer like this, not with the steady tension rising between the two of them. 

‘’Well, I’m going to go out for some fresh air. I’d love to hear about those good things if you want to join me.’’ JJ didn’t even give Lauren a chance to respond before she turned on her heel and slaunterd back to the table where Terrance sat, knowing that Lauren was watching her the entire time. When she reached the table, she told him she was going for some fresh air before heading to the door to go outside. 

Once out of the tavern into the slightly cool air outside, JJ didn’t stop until she had rounded the corner to lean against the building facing an alleyway. She was right opposite the church and here she could have a breather and gather herself for a moment without being disturbed. The energy inside had been overwhelming. Not only because of how attracted she was to Lauren and how it seemed the other woman was to her, but because of the atmosphere Doyle and his friends had given off. It wasn’t anything positive, she knew that for sure and JJ knew she had to report it to Terrance once the night was over. For the life of her she couldn’t figure out what it was that made her uneasy, but it wasn’t something she could overlook. 

Lauren had watched as Jennifer had left, not being able to take her eyes off of her. The longer she let herself, the more and more attracted to her she was becoming. Lauren wanted to kiss those painted lips, to feel her body pressed up against hers...god she was in the deep end here and she didn’t care if she drowned. She had been impressed by how Jennifer had been able to hold down Doyle’s gaze. Lauren knew he could be intimidating, that he had strategies to make him the most powerful man in the room and whilst it never bothered her, she didn’t want him scaring Jennifer away. Any woman not fazed by Ian Doyle was perfect in her books. 

She waited around five minutes before excusing herself, giving Doyle a kiss and telling him she’d be back in a little while. He gave her a knowing smirk and let her go freely. As Lauren passed the table where Terrance was sat, she smiled at him before slipping through the door and going to find Jennifer. 

It didn’t take her long, finding her around the corner and leaning up against the brick wall. The alley was badly lit and it was silent apart from the sound of the music playing inside the tavern and the odd drunken shout of someone down one of the streets. Jennifer looked radiant standing there in the shadows, and as Lauren walked over to her, she leant against the wall looking at her. 

‘’A little too much for you in there?’’ It wasn’t a mocking comment as so many of hers could be. She was simply making sure she was alright. 

JJ had had her eyes to the sky as Lauren approached, looking between the gap of the tavern and the church at the faint stars above them. It was a clear night, but with the low glow of surrounding light pollution it was hard to make out any of the constellations her sister had once taught her about when she was younger. It frustrated her slightly, focusing on the sky intently until Lauren spoke. Even then JJ didn’t answer straight away, finally giving up on her quest in finding the stars to ground her mind and looked over at Lauren. 

‘’Once again, am I that obvious?’’ She let out a huff of a laugh, shaking her head. ‘’I don’t think I’ve ever felt so out of place in a goddamn bar before. I mean, the way those guys were staring...I was clearly with someone,’’

Huffing once more, JJ stood a little taller. ‘’Though, I think he wishes he was here alone. I mean in what world does a pair of jeans and a button up even compare to this?’’ She motioned to her own outfit in a teasing manner before rolling her eyes and laughing again. It was only then did she notice how close she had leaned into Lauren and pulled back, taking in a sharp breath. 

Truly, Lauren was captivated by Jennifer in that moment. Not only by how she looked in the half light and shadows, but the way tension seemed to deflate from her shoulders, the way she laughed and seemed to relax in Lauren’s presence. And not only Lauren, Emily was also in awe at Jennifer’s beauty, perhaps even more so. It had been so long since she’d been with a woman, especially one as breath taking as the blonde in front of her. It knocked the air out of her completely. 

‘’Don’t worry about them, they’re all talk, really. Besides, do you think I’d let any of them even get close to you?’’ She asked, tilting her head to the side slightly. She wouldn’t let them get close because none of them deserved such an angel as Jennifer was. Lauren hated the thought of their hands on her body, messing up something so ethereal and perfect. 

‘’But enough of them, they’re not important right now.’’ Lauren moved from where she’d been leaning beside Jennifer to standing in front of her. 

Lauren’s confirmation about not allowing any of the men near her caused JJ to scan her face. The words were oddly soft for the rest of the demeanour Lauren had given off, but she wasn’t complaining. It was nice to know she had the protection from someone even if she didn’t necessarily need it. 

‘’Lauren Reynolds, saviour of Jennifer J-Henry?’’ JJ caught herself quickly, hoping that the near slip up of her name hadn’t been too noticeable. Nonetheless, she grinned and cleared her throat, suddenly aware of how thick the tension was getting between them. That only thickened when she watched Lauren stand in front of her, causing JJ to freeze where she was. 

Emily could see it in her eyes, the slight apprehension she had about Doyle. ‘’Don’t worry,’’ Lauren cooed, ‘’He knows I find you pretty, he won't mind.’’ Of course she had caught the slip of the name, but she refrained from mentioning it. That would be a talk for another time but for now she didn’t want to talk. She wanted to consume herself in Jennifer and not think about anything else for the moment. 

It was JJ’s desire that won over everything else that caused her next move. Without allowing Lauren to speak any further, she reached out her arm to rest on her hip, the other coming up to cup the back of her head, her fingers embedding in her curled, brown locks. Once there she pulled Lauren close until their lips were nearly touching, but she didn’t want to overstep that boundary just yet. 

It seemed that Jennifer didn’t need anymore reassurance however the way she pulled Lauren closer and she put her hands on her waist, pinning her between the wall and her own body. She watched her for a few moments before finally closing the small gap between them, pressing her lips against Jennifer’s and kissing her deeply as she did so. She couldn’t help herself, not with the way the alcohol mixed in with the taste of her lips. It was breath taking, the way they felt against her own and Lauren found herself craving her taste as she slotted her knee between Jennifer’s legs. She could feel Jennifer relax even more into her as they continued to kiss, deep, slow and wanting as they found their footing and a rhythm to work with. It was what Emily had been craving for well over a year now, the feeling of another woman against her. The feeling of her pinning them against something and taking what she wanted, what she needed. Hearing a small whimper escape from Jennifer’s lips only spurred Lauren on, kisses becoming more desperate and messy. 

JJ felt like she had gone to heaven. The feeling of being pinned up against the wall by Lauren making her melt into the others touch. It had been awhile since she’d kissed a woman, but the feeling never got old. It sent fireworks erupting inside her and she never wanted it to end. As the kisses became more heated, JJ bit at Lauren’s bottom lip, pulling her closer towards her and pressing her hips flush against her thigh with a moan. She could feel Lauren’s hand start to move up her body as the other kept her pinned to the wall and heat started to pool between her legs. Lauren had her exactly where she wanted her and the thrill of being outside was exciting. Anyone could come outside and see them, but JJ found she didn’t care. All she wanted was for Lauren to have her in every way she deemed fit.

With hot lips, Lauren started to trail messy kisses along her jaw, her hand coming up to cup Jennifer’s breast over her dress. She started to massage it slowly, the kisses travelling from her jaw down to her neck. She wanted to mark her, to show Jennifer and everyone else who she belonged too and so she searched for the most sensitive part of her neck. Another whimper from Jennifer told Lauren when she’d found it and she started to suck on her skin, hoping to leave a dark bruise against her pale body. Her hand slipped under her dress and over her breast, trailing her fingers down until she found her nipple and pulled it nimbly between her fingers, causing a moan to escape from Jennifer’s lips. She kept up the assault on her neck, leaving hickeys every time she felt her melt at her touch. 

‘’Please,’’ JJ whimpered, hand still tight in Lauren’s hair, neck bared for her. ‘’Kiss me again.’’ She couldn’t get enough of her touches, the weight of Lauren against her and it was driving her crazy. 

Lauren happily did as she was told and lifted her head up to kiss Jennifer again passionately, fingers still teasing her breast and nipple, tugging on it to make the other woman moan into her mouth. She could kiss her all day the way it was so intoxicating and truthfully, Emily hadn’t kissed someone she’d been attracted to in a long time. She hadn’t done anything with someone she’d been attracted to in a long time. It was causing her mind to go into overdrive, for Lauren and Emily to combine as one as they took what they craved so badly.

She could feel Jennifer’s hand move from her waist to the button of her jeans and without any hesitation, Lauren’s hand came around to pin her wrist against the wall, pulling back to look at her. 

‘’Patience Jennifer.’’ She shook her head as her other hand squeezed her breast. ‘’Patience.’’

The feeling of her hand being pinned against the wall caused JJ’s eyes to fly open, looking deep into Laurens’ and letting out a needy whimper. Her heart skipped a beat at the way she was at her mercy and she ground her core against Lauren’s thigh hard. 

‘’Fuck, Lauren. Please.’’ 

Jennifer’s begging only spurred on Lauren’s arousal and she let out a groan herself. She knew she had full control of the situation and she took complete advantage of that. Jennifer was exactly where she wanted her and Lauren was going to have her fun with her. As she ground against Lauren’s leg, she found she couldn’t stop it anymore and moved her hand from her breast, down her body and between her legs as she removed her knee. Fingers traced teasingly light over her underwear, pulling back only slightly so she could smirk at her. 

‘’You can’t go looking like this and expect me not to have you, Jennifer.’’ Lauren spoke, voice rough with lust. 

With the loss relief, JJ whimpered loudly, still trying to grind down on nothing and the slight touches of Lauren’s fingers. It wasn’t enough and it was sending her mind reeling with need. 

‘’I’m...fuck...Lauren please, I’m so wet for you.’’ JJ looked at her with big eyes, leaning forward to kiss her as if to encourage her to keep going. ‘’Please Lauren, I need you.’’

Emily couldn’t help but watch her as she fell apart at her touch, licking her lips at the thought of the young woman coming undone by her. She didn’t even care about her own pleasure right now. She could get off just by watching Jennifer squirm for her. 

‘’You beg so prettily.’’ She cooed as her hand pulled aside her underwear, running a finger through her wetness and causing her own breath to hitch at the sensation. ‘’Oh baby, is this all for me? Aren’t I lucky.’’ When her fingers found her clit, she started to rub light circles over it, watching as JJ tipped her head back and moaned loudly, bucking her hips into her hand for more pressure. 

JJ hooked a leg around Lauren’s waist, allowing her easier access. It was true, she was almost embarrassingly wet for her, but her lust filled mind obscured any embarrassment in that moment. Her hand moved up once more, tangling in Lauren’s hair and tugging as she felt the sensations of her fingers against her clit. 

Emily ducked her head to press kisses against her neck once more, continuing to rub her clit lightly before she ran her fingers through her folds and slipped a finger into her. She let out a hum of contentment against her neck, as another finger joined the first and she started to slowly fuck her with them. 

‘’Fuck, you feel so good.’’ She murmured as she lifted her head to kiss her once more. To feel Jennifer so warm and willing against her made Emily go crazy, kissing her with passion and want and the utmost need to make her feel good. The noises Jennifer was making only spurred her on and Emily started to quicken her movements, holding her leg up with one hand whilst she fucked her with the other, still pressing her flush against the wall. 

Her breathing was heavy and laboured, her hips meeting every thrust again and again and again. It was pure euphoria the way Lauren fucked her, the way JJ let her head tilt back against the wall and her pleasure overtake her. She was coming undone so quickly by her touches and when Lauren curled her fingers and hit just the right place, JJ couldn’t help but cry out, back arching towards her. 

‘’Fuck! Fuck! Yes, right there, right there! Fuck, please Lauren, please.’’ 

She didn’t care that Jennifer was loud, not with the look of pure bliss on her face. Emily only wanted to spur that on, to give her an experience she would never forget. She fucked her harder, quicker, the only sounds being Jennifer’s moans, her own heavy breathing and her fingers fucking into her wetness. Emily kept close, her hand coming from her leg to grab her chin and pull her head down into another kiss, though not to keep her quiet. Hearing Jennifer was quickly becoming one of her new favourite things, and she would remember the noises that came out of that pretty little mouth even if this was their only time together. 

All JJ could do was take it, to let herself be captivated and owned by Lauren. She could feel her pleasure rising quickly and she whimpered out, tugging and grabbing at Lauren’s hair and shirt and anywhere she could reach. 

‘’Oh fuck, I’m-I’m gonna come. Lauren, please, I’m so close, fuck!’’ She could barely articulate anything else, bliss taking over as she neared the edge. 

Emily didn’t slow down, keeping up her pace as she watched Jennifer get closer and closer to her high. It was a beautiful sight; Jennifer’s face and chest flushed, her hair a mess, eyes closed and mouth open as she moaned and panted heavily. It made everything worth it to see her in this moment, so angelic and vulnerable and all for her. 

‘’Go on Jennifer.’’ Emily purred. ‘’Come for me like a good girl. You are a good girl, aren’t you?’’ 

It was her words that sent JJ over the edge and for a second she was sure she was close to blacking out by the intensity of her orgasm. Crying out Lauren’s name, JJ let her body tremble, thighs shaking as her nails dug into her arm. All tension had been released from her body and she whimpered as she leaned forward and buried her face into her neck, letting her leg down from her waist slowly. Her breathing was rapid and unsteady, taking her time as she came down from her high. 

‘’Fuck...fuck…’’

It was ethereal to watch Jennifer come, Emily’s movements only slowly when she had ridden out her orgasm, coming to a stop when the blonde rested her head against her shoulder. She didn't remove her fingers yet, just kept them inside her as she calmed her own breathing down. Emily felt so content in that moment, she had often wondered what it would feel like to be herself again.  
‘’Good girl.’’ She hummed as she finally slid her fingers out of her, pulling back slightly so Emily could make Jennifer watch as she put her fingers in her mouth and sucked her juices from them. ‘’Tell your husband he should be grateful I got you all ready for him.’’ She winked. It was a crast joke and honestly she wished Jennifer didn’t have a husband or anyone else for her to worry about. 

It was the insistence that JJ was being a good girl that caused her mind to spin. Her body quivered and for a moment she was concerned about standing on her own without the support of Lauren holding her up. JJ took a few more moments to recuperate, watching as she sucked her off her fingers with a sharp intake of breath. She was speechless, completely speechless and hearing Lauren’s words only caused her cheeks to flush more than they already were. 

‘’A-And your boyfriend will just have to be disappointed he missed out.’’ She said with a smirk and a shaky voice. 

‘’Oh, that’s okay, I’d rather have you all to myself Jennifer.’’ Lauren laughed, truly laughed at that, finally taking a step back and fixing her own hair as well as making herself look presentable. ‘’You might want to fix yourself up Jennifer.’’ 

In no time at all she was ready to go back in and resume the rest of her night as if this whole thing hadn’t happened. Of course she wasn’t about to pretend that it hadn’t; even Lauren wasn’t that sort of person. She wouldn’t ignore Jennifer after their encounter, no, Lauren couldn’t do that. If anything she only craved her more than she had done before. The need to be with someone had doubled and she wondered if this was the start of a very slippery slope. 

To hear Lauren’s laugh, a deep and genuine sound made JJ bite down on her bottom lip. If she could have captured that sound and put it in a jar to preserve it she would have done in a heartbeat. A wide smile spread across her lips at her laugh and she simply watched the other woman in awe. She was truly magnificent, there was no doubt about it.

‘’You can have me whenever you’d like…’’ The emotions JJ felt towards Lauren were unparalleled and she was almost so overwhelmed by this moment following her orgasm, in just revelling in Lauren’s beauty that she seemed to be frozen in place. It wasn’t until she spoke again did she snap out of it, quickly standing straight and doing her best to straighten herself out. Her hand combed through tangled blonde hair and she did her best to pull the long locks over her neck as much as possible, though it didn’t entirely work in her favour. 

As it seemed that Lauren was about to turn to go back inside, JJ instinctively reached out and grabbed a hold of her hand, giving it a small squeeze before speaking. ‘’Please...please kiss me one more time?’’ 

The hold of her hand made her pause, frozen in place. The touch made electricity run through her body and for a moment, Emily closed her eyes, glad she was far enough not facing Jennifer for her to see the momentary lapse in her façade. In a split microsecond she was back to her normal Lauren self and turned, pulling Jennifer into a long, drawn out kiss. She didn’t want it to end, wanted this moment to go on forever, for this secret life to end…

And just like that it was over. Just like that she broke away, giving her a small smile before she went back into the bar, leaving Jennifer on her own to compose herself. 

As she was pulled back into the kiss, JJ brought her hands up to cup either side of her face, melting into the kiss and giving Lauren everything she was. And then just like that she was standing alone in the alley, the only sounds being the music from inside. She gave herself a few moments to breathe, to go over everything that had just happened. The only conclusion JJ came to was that she was well and truly fucked.


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm so sorry for the delay. My mental health has been awful recently and I found it hard to get this chapter written. It's only a short one today (though anything's short compared to last chapter), but I hope you like it! 
> 
> (Also if you want to go follow me on tumblr, my @ is Jemilyisms and it's where I post most of my CM stuff.)

As Lauren returned to her place on Doyle’s lap, everything felt off slightly. It was as if the world had tilted on its axis and sent her off kilter. Life had shifted into something comfortable for her after over a year of this, something she was used too and could find contentment in. She finally had a stable home without having to work too hard for any of her luxuries. She had someone who loved her and she was happy. So why was everything suddenly off balance? How had Jennifer, someone Lauren barely knew, managed to throw the world into a completely different orbit? Nothing seemed to have changed outwardly, but on the inside, Lauren felt confused, unsure of everything she had built up in the last year. 

Still, she leant back into Doyle’s touch, closing her eyes for a moment and basking in the way he had wrapped his arms possessively around her once more. Or at least she tried too. Lauren blamed Emily for this sudden discomfort. It wasn’t much to make a difference in the way she acted around him but it was certainly there. Emily had never liked the way Doyle touched her in any capacity, a large reason as why it had always been easy for Lauren to squash her down into the back of her mind. Emily hated it whilst Lauren revelled in it. But the fact that Emily had been so prominent with her time with Jennifer had subsequently messed everything up. She was still there, despite how much Lauren tried to get her to disappear once more. 

Hearing the door above the sounds of the tavern, Lauren opened her eyes to see Jennifer walking in. Although she didn’t look the mess she had a mere five minutes ago, she could still see the way her cheeks and chest were flushed in the low light and how her hair wasn’t as perfect as it had been before. Lauren smiled to herself, even when she glanced over at the look on Terrance’s face. He clearly knew what had happened, clearly wasn’t very happy about it but Lauren didn’t have it in her to care. It wasn’t as if he was right for Jennifer anyway and if she broke down their marriage then so be it. She deserved better than him. Not necessarily Lauren herself, but better. 

She watched a little while longer until Doyle distracted her once more with kisses to her neck and jaw. He murmured into her ear, asking her if she wanted to go home. Lauren knew what that meant and she nodded, turning her head and kissing him, As she looked back however, she found that Jennifer and Terrance were now gone and the strong feelings she had about the blonde woman never wavered. It was only as Doyle started to be more handsy with her and showing how much he wanted to get back to the villa, did Lauren push the feelings to the back of her mind so they wouldn’t taint her affection for the man. 

Arriving back to the villa was a blur of lips, hands and breathy moans, the two of them barely parting at all in the car and getting through the front door. It wasn’t anything new; Doyle’s drive towards Lauren was always higher than he had had something to drink as many people’s were, and she simply let him take what was his. Their time together was rarely slow and intimate in that way. Doyle was rough, possessive, wrapping a hand around her throat and taking her against the wall whilst Lauren made all the noises she knew he loved. She couldn’t deny he didn’t know what he was doing or that he didn’t get her to finish. It was passionate and raw and she let her mind blank enough that she could let herself be satisfied with it. Even after what seemed like hours and she lay curled up in his arms, watching as he fell into a deep sleep, Lauren was satisfied. 

Emily on the other hand, wasn’t. Most of the time when Lauren and Doyle had sex, especially this far into the relationship she could dissociate her way out of there, push it away so she didn’t have to think about it. It was her job, she reminded herself over and over again. It was her job to pretend to love him, to have sex with him and get as close to Doyle as she could (though Emily was sure she’d done more than she needed too; ever striving to exceed people’s expectations), but sometimes it got too much. Her time with Jennifer and the fact that she’d been so present then hadn’t given Emily the chance to hide in the back of Lauren’s mind quick enough. With every touch, every kiss, grip of her hair and marks against her skin, with every thrust and the sound of skin on skin, Emily reminded herself it was her job. 

She lay there until she was sure he was passed out before she slipped from under his arm and made her way to the bathroom. Shutting and locking the door behind her, Emily turned on the shower and once the water was warm enough stepped under the powerful spray. She didn’t once look at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t. Not until she felt clean again. 

Emily liked her showers to be almost scolding hot, the pummelling of the water making her skin turn pink helped her feel at ease. She tried to ignore the way nausea and panic built up in her stomach and threatened to release itself as she grabbed a washcloth and squirted some of the lemon scented body wash onto it. Emily scrubbed at her skin until it wasn’t only the water turning it red, pretending that the way her eyes blurred was from the shower and not her own tears. Sometimes it all got too much and she was forced to wash herself clean to get Doyle’s touch off of her. It was times like these where she started to hate her job and what it made her do. All she could do was think back to Italy, to her mother and everyone else who had tried to make her shut down who she was. Emily wasn’t someone who had sex with men, but Lauren was. And what Lauren wanted, Lauren got. 

There was no knowing how long she had stayed in the shower. Emily had scrubbed at her skin until it was raw, washing her hair at least twice to get the feeling of his fingers out of it. When she finally felt clean enough to get out of the shower, she turned it off and reached for a towel to wrap around herself. Hands on the sink, she leant against it as she looked at herself in the mirror. Emily almost didn’t recognise the person looking back at her. She couldn’t connect with this person even if she tried too. God, she couldn’t wait for this to be over. 

Drying herself, Emily ran the towel over her hair so it wasn’t as wet. Finally making her way back into the bedroom, she quietly opened a draw to get out a tank top and some linen shorts and grabbed her packet of cigarettes. She opened the doors to the balcony and slipped out into the cooler but humid air. She wasn’t ready to get back into bed just yet. Emily simply leant against the balcony railing as she lit a cigarette from the pack, looking out over the garden which was illuminated by little garden lights. There was a promise in the air to herself that she would stop smoking after all of this was over, but right now it was needed. The flood of nicotine helped calm Emily down enough that she started to feel tired enough to be able to sleep. 

Still, it took a while for her to be able to pull herself back inside. By the time Emily had done so, her hair had frizzed slightly with the humidity but her mind felt calmer and she no longer wanted to rip her skin off. As Emily lay back down next to Doyle and pulled the loose cover over them both, she closed her eyes and let her mind wander to Jennifer. It had felt so refreshing and right to be with her in such an intimate way. Even without the suppression of her sexuality, Emily had never felt like that with someone before; at total peace with herself and that they fit together as if Jennifer was her missing puzzle piece she had been longing to find. Emily knew she was taking this way out of proportion and all of these feelings were superficial from being disconnected from society for so long, but she simply let herself think of blonde hair, bright smiles and soft touches as she drifted off to sleep. 

. . .

As soon as JJ had walked back into the tavern, she knew she was in trouble. She knew that anyway from the way Lauren made her weak at the knees, but this was a different kind of trouble. Terrance had given her an unimpressed glare as she walked through the door and approached the table as if nothing had happened outside. Unfortunately the hickeys on her neck were hard to hide even behind her hair but JJ tried to act as if everything was normal. Sitting down next to him, her eyes fell on Lauren back in Doyle’s arms, a surge of jealousy racing through her as it had done before. She wondered if she’d just played herself by getting used by the woman. What if she went back home and laughed about it with her boyfriend at the fact that JJ had been so willing to have sex with her? It was entirely possible that that could happen and yet, JJ found a part of her didn’t care. It had been great sex even if it was only a one time thing.

What she did care about however, was her reputation and people thinking badly of her. JJ knew she shouldn’t care, but she and everyone else had always put her up on a pedestal. After Roslyn had died she had put so much energy in everything she did just to make her parents smile and to stop them arguing. She worked hard at school, started soccer and worked hard at that as well. JJ had strived in what she did because she made sure to give it one hundred and ten percent every time. But in doing so she had set high expectations for herself. Her teachers expected her to do well, especially Mr Howard. Her parents - though not intentionally - pushed her hard to get good grades and graduate at the top of her year. Everyone had their own idea of who Jennifer Jareau was as a person and it wasn't until college that she started to really figure out who she was herself. 

It was then that JJ had realised not to let herself be a stepping stone for others. She was her own person. She was strong willed and entirely capable of doing the jobs that everyone else did. She was no longer poor little JJ whose sister had committed suicide and whose family was falling apart. She was Agent Jareau of the BAU and everyone would learn to see her as she wanted them to and not by anyone else’s image of her. 

With that being said, JJ still worried when she underperformed or did something wrong and how that person would view her. Right now, the glares that Terrance was giving her anxiety and making her heart beat wildly in her chest but JJ stayed cool and collected, even if it was noticeable in her eyes. She may have trained herself to control her emotions better than she used to, but it wasn’t something JJ had mastered completely. She felt too much to be able to do that. 

‘’I think we should go back to the hotel, don’t you?’’ Terrance asked, not waiting for JJ to answer because he knew she was going to follow him. He picked up his jacket and got off the chair, walking out of the tavern with JJ tagging behind. 

The walk back to the hotel was quiet and awkward. JJ had her arms wrapped around herself, her dislike for the outfit she was wearing rising considerably. She walked with Terrance a little way in front of her, running over every possible way this conversation could go in her head. She knew there could be consequences for what she’d done, but JJ had a plan on how to minimize that as much as she could. JJ wasn’t stupid, she knew how to make things work in her favour if she tried hard enough. 

Once back at the hotel, they both went into Terrance’s hotel room, JJ shutting the door behind her before she went to sit down on the bed, arms still around herself. Slipping off her shoes and happy her feet could have the rest, JJ looked up at the older man and saw the way his brows furrowed as if he was trying to figure out what to say to her. She went to open her mouth to speak, but Terrance beat her to it. 

‘’Look Jareau, I know you have a brain on you so what the hell do you think you’re playing at? What part of a low profile information hunt don’t you understand? You know I should report you for this right? I knew it was a bad idea being partnered with a rookie’’ Terrance stood there, frown on his face as he tried to keep his voice low; something hard with the frustration he was feeling. 

JJ scowled at the way he spoke to her. She knew she most likely deserved it, but she still didn’t like the tone he had. It was condescending how he spoke down to her and JJ’s jaw tightened as she stood up from the bed. Even though she was shorter than him, she wanted to be at his level to show she wasn’t backing down easily. 

‘’I know you could report me and I’m sorry for getting carried away, but I didn’t just screw around,’’ JJ knew she needed to talk fast to save herself because the reality of getting taken off the case or even worse was up there on the list. 

‘’There’s something not right with the group of men Lauren’s with. I don’t know what it was but they were giving off bad energy.’’ 

Terrance snorted and shook his head. ‘’I can tell you’re trying to save your neck here, but I’m going to need something more than bad energy Jareau.’’ 

‘’I know, I know that. But isn’t it strange that in a small town like this there are a group of Irish men sat at a bar and no one seems to blink an eye at it? You’ve seen how the locals are with tourists yet everyone seems to ignore them. I’m not just trying to save my neck, I’m telling you that something isn’t right and if I can get closer to Lauren and maybe get some information out of her we might be onto something.’’ JJ took a moment to breathe, not breaking eye contact with Terrance. She would stay strong even if he totally disregarded her idea. 

Taking a moment to think and listen to her, Terrance realised that JJ was unfortunately right. It did seem strange that there was a group of Irish men who seemed to be here long term. Earlier on in the day at the café, Lauren had said her boyfriend was working up here, but what kind of work? As he looked at JJ, seeing her fiery, determined gaze he sighed. She was young, naïve. But he did know she wasn’t stupid and he didn’t really want to end her entire career because of one mishap. 

‘’Okay, you’re right it is a little strange but you know if we follow this then it’s going to have to lead somewhere. If it doesn’t then you’re still back in the shit. Fine, fine, we’ll follow it and you get yourself close to Lauren Reynolds, got it? If it pays out then I won’t report you.’’

JJ could have breathed a sigh of relief but she didn’t, not yet. She knew she wasn’t entirely off the hook but Terrance was giving her a chance to make up for her mistake and to prove herself. She just hoped she was right about it, but JJ had always had a strong gut instinct about these things. Something wasn’t right in Lauren’s world and she was determined to find out what it was. It never even came across her mind that Lauren could be involved in something awful or illegal, more so the fact that she could be in danger. 

‘’Thank you Terrance. Really, thank you. I won’t let you down, I promise.’’ JJ nodded, lowering her gaze for a moment. 

‘’Yeah, whatever Jareau. Just don’t mess it up. You should go get changed or something, we’ll figure everything else out in the morning.’’

That was JJ’s cue to leave and she knew it. With a goodnight, she slipped from the room into the joint bathroom between the two bedrooms. Locking the door from Terrance’s side for the time being, she braced herself against the sink as she finally let herself breathe. JJ knew she wasn’t out of the woods yet and she still half expected Terrance to report her anyway. How could she have been so gullible to let Lauren have her like that? But she wasn’t. JJ was an adult and despite the fact that yes, they were on the job, she could simply say it had been because she wanted to get more information out of Lauren. It didn’t matter if it wasn’t the truth. It had been the best hookup JJ had probably ever had, she wasn’t about to feel guilty for putting her needs first for once.

Shaking her head, she slipped out of the dress and went to have a quick shower to wash the sweat and slight smell of sex from her body. JJ enjoyed cold showers, the shock hitting her body and causing her to become very aware of her surroundings. Cold showers helped her focus, and although it was only quick and she was in and out in a matter of ten minutes, she felt better for it. Grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her waist, she unlocked Terrance’s side of the door and went out through her own, closing it behind her for privacy. 

Instead of getting dressed, JJ dumped her dress and heels on the floor and lay down on the bed in her towel. She stared up at the ceiling, faint light coming from the balcony doors illuminating it’s shadows. There were a few lights around the hotel but apart from that they were in the pitch black countryside. It was a feeling and a sight JJ knew well and it comforted her to be able to see the stars when she stepped out onto her balcony. Instead she simply looked upwards as her thoughts began to wander back to Lauren and the alleyway. She wasn’t used to someone caring about her pleasure and her pleasure only. Honestly she hadn’t expected Lauren to be the type, but she could also tell she had liked being in control and JJ wasn’t about to take that away from her. It felt nice to be cared for even if it had been in that short time. 

JJ could feel the familiar heat flushing up her body as she remembered how Lauren’s lips had felt against hers, the way she had pinned her against the wall and how her fingers had moved inside her. Sucking in a sharp breath, JJ closed her eyes and let her imagination run wild. And if she fell asleep after touching herself thinking about Lauren, no one would to know.


End file.
